The Age of The Masrui

“Because I’ve fancied you since the night we met in that bar.” Serena shrugged. “But then I got to know you and I realised you probably wouldn’t want anything more with someone like me so I contented myself with us being friends and then you did that and then we...” she trailed off. “It’s fine if you don’t want anything else, we can pretend it didn’t happen at all if you’d rather, won’t change the friendship.”

---

“What’s going on?” Caliban frowned as he moved to sit up, watching her as the call would’ve gone to voicemail.

---

Maddox nodded, picking Theo up as he walked over, watching Sienna.

"I am going to be tracking your location and coming to you unless you call me back, you hear?" Alexia left on the voice mail before hanging up and putting her phone on the side as she pulled her clothes on. "Your nephew, he killed the guy but he said she is dead to. We need to get to him, make sure he is okay... he said he wouldn't be hurting her so something bigger must of happened."

---

"You did?" Dorian questioned with a frown. "I- uh...I'm sorry I don't know what to do with any of this. If you- then why have you been setting me up on dates? I don't understand."

---

Sienna blinked her eyes open after a few minutes, quietly looking at them all as she came too properly. A lot more calmly this time.

"See... hey."

“Because I didn’t think you were interested in me, the most you’ve done was flirt even though I’ve dropped you a thousand hints so I just accepted I was friendzoned... I wanted you to be happy and I knew it was getting you down.”

---

“Alex? He’ll be fine... Altair’s sorting the situation regarding all that anyway I think.”

---

“Hey.” Maddox greeted warmly.

"Altair isn't doing anything, Cal. He's been outcast by them all, verbally punished when they do acknowledge him which isn't needed because he is doing a good job of punishing himself." Alexia frowned, "I am going to find him, are you coming with me?"

---

"You've been giving hints, what... when?"

---

Sienna silently reached out for her brother when she spotted him. Whispering, "Teddy... hi.'

Maddox gently placed Theo on the bed, watching as he curled into his sisters side.

---

“The nights in on the couch, the walks, about a million other things but asking you to help me pick outfits and then help me put them in, which usually works but you were nothing but a gentleman to the point where I clicked oh wait maybe he’s just not into you.” Serena laughed awkwardly. “I’m an idiot right? Forget it...”

---

“Fine fine.” Caliban sighed as he got up to get dressed too.

Sienna closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around her brother to hug him.

Marlowe slipped her arms around Maddox's torso, resting her head against her shoulder as she watched her children. "We need to let the others know she awake."

---

(( Be sad if Alex does something to himself too, nor great for Reid and Astrid but.. kind of fitting? ))

Alexia pulled her hair up into a pony tail after pulling one of Caliban's jumper over herself for extra comfort. Putting her phone into her jeans pocket and heading out of the room.

"No, no. Not at all I am jus-" Dorian began to respond, cutting off when Alexia walked through the livingroom.

“And we will soon... let us just have this for now mm?”

---

“It’s fine…” Serena shook her head. “Don’t worry about it.” She kissed his cheek before getting up and heading into the kitchen.

Caliban raised an eyebrow as he walked through. “Me and Lexi are off out, I’ll update you later.” He offered by way of explanation as he followed Lexi out.

((Like an attempt or actually offs himself?))

(( Up to you! ))

---

"Oh, okay.. have.. fun?" Dorian frowned, watching them go before getting to his feet and following Serena into the kitchen. "It isn't fine. I think I am too fucked up for anything, not something you deserve anyway. Too- cautious now."

---

Alexia got into the car and started up the engine, beginning to drive once Caliban was in too. "I just need to make sure he is okay."

---

"Yeah, yeah okay." Marlowe whispered, kissing his cheek.

“What do I deserve mm? Isn’t that up to me to decide? Would you cheat? Would you break my heart?” Serena pulled herself up onto the side. “It’s not me it’s you, right? I’ve heard it all Dorian… and I see you. You’re not broken, just a bit creased because nobody adhered to the fragile label on your heart. Because your exes have happy lives and kids and you want that too but you can’t seem to get your fingertips on it? Or is it because you’ve had enough of rich socialites born with silver spoons?”

---

Caliban nodded. “I know...”

---

“We can tell people soon. Just... don’t want to be rushing and over doing it. They’ll wanna see her and she’s not ready.”

"I- I'm so glad she is finally awake." Marlowe whispered, laughing quietly as Sienna fell asleep once again as she held Theo. "Well, kind of."

---

"No, no. I'm just scared, okay?!" Dorian exclaimed then, using his hands to motion in frustration as himself. "Karsi hurt, she said that the chemistry her and I had was different and no one had ever made me feel like I mattered like that before and then she threw it away. Astrid forced my walls down and then hurt me when she finally succeeded. I - I'm scared."

---

She pulled her phone from the car door and wiggled it in his direction. "Try and phone him again for me?"

“I’m not going to push you to do anything you don’t want to do. It’s okay.” Serena gave him a soft smile. “It is what it is... I don’t want to ‘fix’ you because I know the damage done is done. And I’m sorry they hurt you the way they did. And I can’t even promise I won’t hurt you because those kind of promises can’t be made from any angle. I like you, and sometimes when you like someone they don’t reciprocate and that’s fine...” she slipped off the counter. “I know that being around them when they hurt you, was like rubbing salt on the wound so I’ll make myself scarce for a while. I don’t want you to feel forced with me or anything.”

---

Caliban nodded, calling Alex’s number again and shaking his head when it went to voicemail.

---

“I’m just glad her brain is working...”

"Stupid boy," Alexia mumbled, putting her foot down on the accelerate slightly. Pulling up to his apartment fifteen minutes later and getting out, letting herself inside; "Alex?!"

---

"What about her legs... can she feel them?"

---

"No.. no you don't have to go. I - I like you."

Maddox shook his head then. “No... but they did say it was a possibility.”

---

Alex was on the sofa in his apartment laying face down. An empty bottle of booze at the side of him as well as numerous empty packets of tablets. A small note by the bottle that simply had I’m sorry, A scrawled onto it. He was still breathing, though only just, his body cold to the touch.

---

“But do you want me? Do you want an us? Because I can go home and come back tomorrow and we act like this never happened if you don’t want anything else. Or I can go home home and you never have to see me again either if that’s what you want.” Serena offered. “No matter what they made you feel… you matter to me. You’re the only one that’s not treated me like some sort of spare part that’s in the way, and I needed that… so even if you want me out of your sight I want you to know that you do matter…”

"Shit. Cal, call an ambulance!" Alexia called over her shoulder, crouching down by the sofa and grimacing as she touched Alex's arm. Pulling a throw down and lifting Alex up to try and wrap him up in it, slipping her arms around him and lifting him up enough so she could sit and keep him up. "Alex, you stupid boy."

---

"Yeah, yeah I know." Marlowe whispered. "Have they seen to her yet? What is the plan of action from here."

---

"I.. can you give me the night to assess? Sleep on it. I'll call you in the morning."

Caliban grimaced when he walked in, doing as she asked instantly.

---

“Sure.” Serena nodded, kissing his cheek before grabbing her keys off the side and heading out.

---

“Give her a few days to adjust to being awake and then physio.”

"Thank you..." Dorian whispered.

---

Alexia patted her fingers against Alex's cheek as she attempted to stir him, "Wake up, you don't get to do this. Your family are going through enough and you think it is fine to put them through another funeral?" she hissed.

(( I am just going to skip until they are at the hospital ))

Alexia paced the waiting room, gaze fixed on the floor as she mumbled - "I was going to check on him yesterday, I should of done it then but I assumed he was doing okay."

---

"This is... this is just so great."

((I don’t know whether or not to kill him off haha))

---

“We all could’ve done more…” Caliban shook his head.

Celeste was sat silently in the corner of the room, face red from where she’d been crying. Altair was at the opposite end, his wife having rejected comfort from anyone.

---

“It’s one of the better outcomes for sure.”

(( Flip a coin? ))

"How was anyone to know that he would be so wreckless," Reid asked, his arm around Astrid as he kept her as close as he possibly could without pulling her onto his lap. "You think after all he has put everyone through he wouldn't want to put anyone else through anymore."

"Perhaps if people acknowledged that love blinds people he would of felt just a little bit more supported." Alexia answered with a frown.

"Mm, and you are who, exactly? Your just as much as a danger as his devil was." Reid sighed.

---

"Better? It's one of the best."

“This is nobody’s fault... nobody is to blame.” Caliban shook his head. “I was where he was remember? You all exiled me for a while and it wasn’t that, that made me self destruct. It was the knowledge that what I had done could’ve lead to someone getting hurt. It was the knowledge that my stupidity, my heart - that I’d never be able to change - had lead to someone I love dying even if it was tied to the consequences of her own actions... supported or not he would’ve tried this the moment she died. I never outright tried to do what he did because luckily enough none of our family was hurt by what Sadie did. He’s been struggling with the guilt of Caius... it’s nobody’s fault.”

Celeste just shook her head, swallowing thickly as she looked up when the Doctor came in. “I’m sorry - “ he started, cutting off when Celeste let out a scream, getting up out of her chair as if she was going to attack the doctor in her rage, Altair soon up and behind her, restraining her as silent tears fell from his own eyes.

Astrid’s body tensed, jaw setting as the colour drained from her face.

---

“Let’s just hope the physio works mm?”

"If it doesn't then we can cope, I would rather she be alive and with us - even if it is in a wheelchair than have her dead or brain dead." Marlowe whispered. "It won't be too much effort for us to change from houses to bungalows in our house hunt."

---

Alexia paled, shaking her head a little bit and whispering quietly; "I'm sorry, I should of driven quicker today... checked on him hours before. I could of gotten there in time to save him, was too late."

Reid pulled Astrid onto his lap properly then so he could hug her, tangling his fingers in her hair.

“Nobody’s fault.” Caliban whispered again then, voice wavering.

“I’m so tired of losing people.” Astrid whispered thickly as she pulled herself away from him. Sniffling and wiping at her face before getting to her feet and crossing the room, asking the doctor where her brother was before heading out and down the hall.

Altair moved to sit down with his wife, holding her close as she continued to cry hysterically.

---

“Only time will tell...”

"Astrid, wait..." Reid sighed, getting to his feet and following close behind her. Slowing to a stop when she entered the room ahead of him, and instead waited just outside. Wanting to give her a few moments alone, hoping she would beckon him inside when she was ready.

Alexia swallowed thickly, glancing over her shoulder when she heard Caliban's voice waver. Letting out a controlled breath and walking over, holding her arms out to offer a hug.

---

Marlowe just kissed his cheek.

Astrid sat down by her brother and took his hand as she spoke to him quietly. After a few minutes her shoulders hunched over as she began to cry, letting go of his hand and putting hers to her face.

---

Caliban hugged her back, kissing the top of her head.

Reid let himself inside then, slipping his arms around her from behind and whispering; "I'm so sorry Astrid, it has all been too much recently, hasn't it?"

---

Alexia rubbed small circles against his back.

“I think we should go... give them some privacy. I’ll inform the rest of the family...” Caliban murmured after a moment.

---

“I’d say what do I do without him but the truth is I carry on don’t I? It was hard enough losing Aaron... but now Alex is gone too and they were both my little partners in crime.” Astrid sobbed. “Half my siblings are dead… I’m so tired of funerals. I’m tired of putting people I love in the ground. Why can I never just be happy for more than a few months at a time?”